Willie O'Dea

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

He hasn't gone away you know!

nah, he's that f**king brazen and arrogant, he wouldn't.  I think reading these couple of threads shows exactly what's wrong with irish politics, the mayo boys all cheerleading FG, the Kerry lads backing J O'D (well no mo do yakoma anyway), I remember when Ahern was in his pomp Gnevin wouldn't hear a word against FF, I'm sure if we'd limerick posters, they'd be defending wee willie.

It's not football you know lads, you don't have to support your fellow county man.

I'm from Mayo and have always been against the Flynnasty and the specially reserved seat at the front of the church at Mass  , even when Pee was [b]claiming[/b] he brought stuff to Castlebar (it was destined to the county town anyways). Pee Flynn self-promoter extraordinaire.

When we where in school all the kids used whistle the Flynnstones song when they would pass (I think it was something to do with Scratch saturday)


Charlie Haughey while a Dub and NOT a Mayoman was born in Castlebar and I despised him even when I was 6 or 7 years old.

[Bogball XV]

Has all the signs of it Hardy
Is this the same Beades that had no problem backing Bertie Ahern up despite Ahern being himself a perjurer? Mmmm I suspect a little of the most cunning there.

Dermot Ahern now defends his position re O'Dea -   as he has just said on On radio 1, that all he is guilty of is loyalty to his friend. Some Minister for Justice we have!!

bert has said in the past that beades is one of his closest pals - it's a surprise that he wasn't wheeled out as one of the digouters.

[Bogball XV]

Oi Bogball, where have I cheerleaded FG .

PS, Mayo4sam you are correct, I was having a convo with the old lad this morning about the state of the country. And we both agreed that FF were incompetent when in power in squandering so much money, by hiring people who did small jobs for big prices. And I do think it's time for change but I cannot see the rest of FG allowing Enda Kenny to wait on as leader. But if there's one any time soon he is the leader and he would be Taoiseach. Maybe he would do a good job if FG were elected as an overall majority. I just can't see that happening though.

the problem is more that the person hired to do the job is either a close relative, good mate, shell company owned offshore by the person doing the hiring.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Anybody else see the Nine O'Clock news, the O'Dea formally known as Minister O'Dea, when talking to the cameras said he had defended a minister in the Dail who had done worse than him but he survived, and he thought what that minister did was worse.

So MR. O'Dea who is this minister that you defended, if what you did warrented resignation, who is this other ministerr that should have resigned?

[Bogball XV]

Anybody else see the Nine O'Clock news, the O'Dea formally known as Minister O'Dea, when talking to the cameras said he had defended a minister in the Dail who had done worse than him but he survived, and he thought what that minister did was worse.

So MR. O'Dea who is this minister that you defended, if what you did warrented resignation, who is this other ministerr that should have resigned?

well the little limerick man was regularly wheeled out to defend the former premier minister in cabinet, i wonder is that who he means?

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Anybody else see the Nine O'Clock news, the O'Dea formally known as Minister O'Dea, when talking to the cameras said he had defended a minister in the Dail who had done worse than him but he survived, and he thought what that minister did was worse.

So MR. O'Dea who is this minister that you defended, if what you did warrented resignation, who is this other ministerr that should have resigned?

well the little limerick man was regularly wheeled out to defend the former premier minister in cabinet, i wonder is that who he means?

Do you think he doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut or he is bitter and wanted to make them wince?

[Farrandeelin]

Any truth to the rumour that Dara Calleary is in line to get O'Dea's job?

[Zapatista]

And we both agreed that FF were incompetent when in power in squandering so much money, by hiring people who did small jobs for big prices.

Hang on now, that wasn't just FFs fault - we all hold some responsibility for that.

  I'm not responsible for it!

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

And we both agreed that FF were incompetent when in power in squandering so much money, by hiring people who did small jobs for big prices.

Hang on now, that wasn't just FFs fault - we all hold some responsibility for that.

  I'm not responsible for it!

Nor me, I'v been running around like Chicken Licken for the last 15 years.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Any truth to the rumour that Dara Calleary is in line to get O'Dea's job?

Haven't heard that, might be a good tacticly move for FF in Mayo, a place the Govt. is in more trouble than most other places (where they are in trouble too)

[Zapatista]

A private conversation.

Not anymore as it is on record in the Dail and on the tape.

Must be an imaginary tape.

You mean that Willie surreptuosly recorded the chit chat with the Guard and now its public knowledge what transgressed and therefore the Guard is open for libel charge? 

Can you imagine the mayhem in the legal system if all the gossip in Ireland was subject to legal scrutiny
to see if there was a basis for slander, we would end up having to build a few hundred Gulags.

If I tell you something I'm going to kidnap Bogball and you record it and then say in the Dail that you know who is going to Kidnap Bogball do you not think it perfectly reasonable that the state would have an interest in our conversation?

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

A private conversation.

Not anymore as it is on record in the Dail and on the tape.

Must be an imaginary tape.

You mean that Willie surreptuosly recorded the chit chat with the Guard and now its public knowledge what transgressed and therefore the Guard is open for libel charge? 

Can you imagine the mayhem in the legal system if all the gossip in Ireland was subject to legal scrutiny
to see if there was a basis for slander, we would end up having to build a few hundred Gulags.

If I tell you something I'm going to kidnap Bogball and you record it and then say in the Dail that you know who is going to Kidnap Bogball do you not think it perfectly reasonable that the state would have an interest in our conversation?

It didn't stop Fianna Fail wire-tapping Geraldine Kennedy, Vincent Brown and Bruce Arnold.

[Bogball XV]

A private conversation.

Not anymore as it is on record in the Dail and on the tape.

Must be an imaginary tape.

You mean that Willie surreptuosly recorded the chit chat with the Guard and now its public knowledge what transgressed and therefore the Guard is open for libel charge? 

Can you imagine the mayhem in the legal system if all the gossip in Ireland was subject to legal scrutiny
to see if there was a basis for slander, we would end up having to build a few hundred Gulags.

If I tell you something I'm going to kidnap Bogball and you record it and then say in the Dail that you know who is going to Kidnap Bogball do you not think it perfectly reasonable that the state would have an interest in our conversation?

the way i'm going it'll be the state who is kidnapping me, they'll maybe call in a few favours from the israelis in order to get it done (although a near deaf army ranger could probably handle it on his own).

[Celt_Man]

it was all the Greens fault apparently

O'Dea says Greens demanded resignation
 
Former Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea has said he decided to resign when it became clear that the Green Party would no longer support the Government if he was to stay in office.


Speaking to RTÉ News, he said it would be a disaster if the Government was to fall right in the middle of a serious economic crisis.

He said that in the interests of the country and in order to protect the stability of the Government he had 'decided there and then' to offer his resignation.

Willie O'Dea said it was clear that if the Green Party did not continue to support the Government it could not survive and that is why he took the decision he did.

The former minister said he had paid the ultimate price for the mistake he had made and that was 'the harsh reality of political life.'

He said he had made no decision yet on his own political future but had been receiving huge support in Limerick throughout the day.

Mr O'Dea declined to say where or not he would be seeking re-election.

Earlier, the Garda Commissioner said gardaí will consider whether an investigation is warranted into claims that a member of the force supplied certain information to former Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea.


Mr O'Dea had claimed that a member of An Garda Síochána was a source for defamatory information regarding Sinn Féin Cllr Maurice Quinlivan.

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said it was entirely a matter for the gardaí and he would not be intervening.

Earlier, Government Chief Whip Pat Carey said a number of new factors combined yesterday, which meant that the vote of confidence in Mr O'Dea could no longer stand.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio's Morning Ireland, Mr Carey said Mr O'Dea subsequently resigned of his own volition.

Mr Carey said the Minister's interview on the News at One and the mention of garda involvement in providing the information for his false affidavit to the High Court changed the situation.

Also on Morning Ireland, Labour's Justice Spokesman Pat Rabbitte said the trust between the coalition partners had been undermined.

Mr Rabbitte expressed his belief that Mr O'Dea's resignation would make a General Election more likely.

Greens were 'unhappy' - Boyle

The Chairman of the Green Party Dan Boyle said the party was 'obviously unhappy' about the manner in which the events leading up to Mr O'Dea's resignation had unfolded.

Senator Boyle said there had been no time for proper consideration, consultation or reflection before the Government's vote of confidence in the former Minister on Wednesday.

He said yesterday's events, including the broadcast of the tape recording of Mr O'Dea's interview with Limerick Leader journalist Mike Dwane and an interview on the News At One, 'recoloured' the situation for the Greens.

Green Party leader John Gormley said he told Taoiseach Brian Cowen that Mr O'Dea's position as a Minister was untenable yesterday evening.

Speaking in Cork today, Mr Gormley said he and his party colleagues were always uneasy about the 'smear aspect' of Mr O'Dea making allegations Mr Quinlivan.

Mr Gormley said following Mr O'Dea's resignation he now regarded the matter closed.

Last night, Mr Gormley admitted that his party was taken by surprise by the Taoiseach's decision on Wednesday to have an early confidence motion in the Dáil on Mr O'Dea.

Mr Gormley said his party had not been in the business of issuing ultimatums to Brian Cowen on the Limerick East TD's position. (Watch Mr Gormley's interview on RTÉ's Nine News)

Mr O'Dea stepped down last night after withdrawing a High Court affidavit in which he had sworn false information.

Mr O'Dea's resignation statement came after a day of increasing speculation that his position had become untenable in the face of hardening attitudes in the Green Party.

An overly aggressive performance in Wednesday's confidence debate did not impress his Fianna Fáil colleagues, nor did an attempt at abject contrition on yesterday's RTÉ Radio's News at One.

Mr O'Dea spoke to Mr Cowen after that interview, a conversation that may have sealed his fate.

The mood was soured within the Greens when the party was 'bounced' into supporting the motion.

The Taoiseach said he was assigning the Defence portfolio to himself for the present.

In a statement, Mr Cowen said he wished to thank Mr O'Dea for his hard work and commitment in carrying out his Ministerial duties.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

http://m.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2010/0220/1224264881092.html?via=frontpage
O'Dea contradicts Taoiseach's version of resignation
Saturday, February 20, 2010

STEPHEN COLLINS, HARRY McGEE and BARRY ROCHE

FORMER MINISTER Willie O'Dea has contradicted Taoiseach Brian Cowen's account of his resignation and backed Green Party leader John Gormley's version of the events that led to his departure from office.

Mr Cowen insisted yesterday Mr O'Dea had come to the conclusion that he must resign from the Cabinet without any coercion from him or the Green Party.

In contrast, Mr Gormley maintained that he had told the Taoiseach that Mr O'Dea's position was untenable and the stability of the Government would be under threat if he stayed in office.

Speaking in Limerick yesterday evening, Mr O'Dea made it clear that he had resigned from office because the Green Party was no longer prepared to support the Government if he stayed on."I decided to resign after speaking to the Taoiseach and it became clear that the Green Party would no longer support the Government if I were to stay in the Government."

Mr O'Dea said he had resigned in the interests of the country to ensure that there was stability in Government in the middle of a very serious economic crisis.

"I can think of other situations affecting Ministers, which I won't elaborate on now, which were far worse but they survived. I recall being in a government with one of them and at the time I didn't call for his resignation – in fact I defended him in every way possible."

Speaking earlier, the Taoiseach insisted Mr O'Dea had come to his own conclusion that he must resign from the Cabinet, independently and without coercion from him or the Green Party. During a visit to Tara Mines in Co Meath yesterday, Mr Cowen said Mr O'Dea had contacted his office shortly after his interview on Thursday with Seán O'Rourke on the News at One RTÉ radio programme and was already moving towards a decision to step down by the time he and Mr Gormley discussed the matter later on that day. "It had already been indicated to me by Willie O'Dea that he was very much of the view that he did not want his presence in Government to become a matter of instability for Government," said Mr Cowen.

Mr Cowen said his relationship with the Green Party and its leader, John Gormley, remained excellent and predicted that the Government would last its full term.

Speaking in Cork, Mr Gormley said he had informed the Taoiseach on Thursday that Mr O'Dea's position was no longer tenable and that his continuation in office threatened the stability of the Government.

Mr Gormley said Mr Cowen recognised the seriousness of the situation regarding Mr O'Dea's position and how it was distracting from the business of Government and he had acted accordingly by seeking Mr O'Dea's resignation.

"I outlined our concerns in detail and I indicated to the Taoiseach that, in my view, Minister O'Dea's position was untenable and the stability of the Government would be under threat as a consequence and it would prove a real distraction."

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said Mr O'Dea had left behind a Cabinet whose credibility was in tatters. He said the debacle raised fundamental questions about the Taoiseach's willingness to enforce proper standards of behaviour in his Government.

Mr Kenny said the affair raised grave doubts about the judgment of the Taoiseach and the Cabinet, and the Green Party was now probably looking for an exit strategy from Government.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said the Taoiseach may well have damaged the Government beyond repair and had certainly shortened its likely term of office by proceeding with the confidence motion last Wednesday.